Soldier's sanity debated in murder case

FORT CARSON, Colo., Dec. 1 (UPI) -- A Colorado hearing for an Army private, accused of killing a prisoner in Afghanistan, heard conflicting reports on his mental state.

Soldiers testified by telephone from Afghanistan Tuesday for Pfc. David Lawrence's preliminary hearing at Fort Carson, the Denver Post reported.

Lawrence, 20, is charged with premeditated murder for allegedly killing Taliban commander Mullah Mohebullah in his cell Oct. 17, hours after his capture. The defense portrays a troubled young man who was put on antidepressants and sent back to his unit, while the prosecution says Lawrence is feigning mental illness.

One witness, Pfc. Dimitri Jenkins said Lawrence, a "good friend," was "up and down."

"Sometimes you could tell he was on his meds, something in his eyes," Jenkins said.

But others said they saw him after the killing and heard him talk about claiming an insanity defense.

"It was something along the lines of his attorney is going to try to pull the crazy card," said Pvt. Aaron Rederstorf, recounting a statement he said he overheard after Lawrence was in custody.

Main Entry: phar·ma·cy
Pronunciation: ‘fär-m&-sE
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -cies
Etymology: Late Latin pharmacia administration of drugs, from Greek pharmakeia, from pharmakeuein to administer drugs,
from pharmakon magic charm, poison, drug
Date: 1651
1 : the art, practice, or profession of preparing, preserving, compounding, and dispensing medical drugs
2 a : a place where medicines are compounded or dispensed b : DRUGSTORE
3 : PHARMACOPOEIA 2
The term magic arts comes from the original word,
pharmakia, from which we also get the word pharmacy. It
also refers to the use of drugs, or sorcery. Those involved
in sorcery get high on drugs in order to make it easier to
contact demons. Pathetically today, millions of young
people are getting in bondage to Satan through the use of
drugs without even knowing it.

Most people taking drugs claim there aren’t any harmful
affects from drugs. But drugs act as a tool to open the
mind, and leave you defenseless against evil spirits entering
and taking possession. Ninety percent of those who belong
to the church of Satan started on drugs.

As mentioned earlier, the mystics of the east use drugs in
order to go into a trance which enables them to make
contact with the spirits, and they are soon possessed by
them. Charles Manson is a typical example of one who
became possessed by evil spirits through drugs. Revelation
18:23 - sorceries (Pharmakia, in the Greek) = drugs.

But others said they saw him after the killing and heard him talk about claiming an insanity defense.

I fail to see why this proves anything. So, he was crazy, on meds and hearing voices, and his defense attorney told him that he planned to plead insanity because he was, well, crazy. And he told a couple of his friends what the lawyer had said to him.

While I understand there could be some intel value to the Taliban commander, in all likelihood, the local village leaders would have just shown up and said he was a simple farmer and we’d free him to generate good will.

This is truly a sad situation. Supposedly his family has a history of schizophrenia....after he began hearing voices, he sought help upon advice from his parents. The military gave him anti-depressants (for schizohprenia???!!!!) and sent him back on duty only after a few days. If this young man suffers from this mental illness, the military has a lot to answer for by disregarding his symptoms and forcing him back on active duty.

The article notes he was nodding off during his court appearance and when he did speak, his speech was slurred. He's probably on a much stronger anti-psychotic at this point.

The Army denied Culps request, saying regulations do not require the court to put the case on hold until the psychiatric results are obtained.

That boggles the mind. After the way that the Haditha Marine cases were and are strung out and this judge can't even postpone an Article 32 hearing until a psych exam is completed? This is wrong in so many ways.

Thanks for the link, Girlene. You're right, it's a very sad situation!

16
posted on 12/02/2010 1:06:34 PM PST
by jazusamo
(His [Obama's] political base---the young, the left and the thoughtless: Thomas Sowell)

Even making him go back on active duty with an anti-depressant after a few days would be way too soon if he was truly suffering from depression! (It takes a couple weeks for someone to start feeling the effects of that type of medication, and in the meantime it can leave you feeling even WORSE!)

The doctor should be forced to explain why he wasn’t put on an anti-psychotic, and given medical leave. Whether he is truly insane or not at this moment, it is (IMHO) the DOCTOR who should be facing questioning, and loss of freedom!

An Army-ordered psychiatric evaluation is under way to determine whether he understands the charges and is capable of participating in his own defense.

In a motion to delay the hearing, Lawrences attorney, James Culp of Austin, Texas, said its wrong for the Army to hold hearings in the case when its unclear whether the soldier understands whats going on.

I think its breathtakingly irresponsible, Culp said after the hearing.

The Army denied Culps request, saying regulations do not require the court to put the case on hold until the psychiatric results are obtained.

I don't get it, what's the rush? Why can't the government wait until the evaluation is completed.

It's not like they don't let Marines and soldiers sit around for years waiting for trial.

There's a political angle to this which explains the rush to judgement.

From PFC Lawrence's Facebook Page...

................................................

PFC David W. Lawrence is an American soldier from Indiana. He is the son of Brett and Wendy Lawrence. David is 20 years old.

PFC Lawrence is accused of shooting Mullah Mohebullah on Oct. 17 while guarding him in Kandahar province, Afghanistan. Mullah Mohebullah was a senior Taliban commander. The death was announced by an angry Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

"We are going to an Article 32 for a kid who is hearing voices," James Culp, PFC Lawrence's attorney, said. He also said he was concerned the Army might be rushing the case to court-martial to appease Karzai. PFC Lawrence's 706 investigation (ordered to determine whether he is mentally competent to stand trial) is expected to be finished Dec. 10. PFC Lawrence's attorneys fought to delay this week's hearing until the mental competency evaluation process was completed. The request was denied. The Article 32 hearing took place on November 29 and 30 at Ft. Carson, Colorado.

David is currently being treated with potent drugs for schizophrenia.

Less than a week before the shooting, PFC Lawrence was examined by doctors and given drugs for depression and sleeplessness. Days later, he was put on guard duty at a detention center in the Arghandab district of Kandahar province, despite having no training for it.

David told his father that he was seeing soldiers who had died in Afghanistan, including Capt. Dale Goetz. He told his father "... he could see the chaplain with only half a head remaining," Capt. Dale Goetz was a chaplain in the 4th Infantry Division for the 66th Armor Regiments 1st Battalion based out of Ft. Carson, Colorado. Capt. Goetz is the first Army chaplain killed in combat in 40 years. Capt. Goetz was David's friend. It was a known fact that David was closer to the chaplain than anyone else in the platoon.

This young man comes from a wonderful family, and has very loving, caring parents who are undoubtedly afraid of what lies ahead. This is going to be a lengthy battle. Costs for specialists, travels to and from Colorado and all the costs involved with repeated week long stays there, medical evaluations, and doctors are adding up.

This family needs help. Please show your support of PFC David Lawrence by making a contributions to his defense fund: United Community Bank, 19710 Stateline Road, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025. Please make checks payable to "FOB PFC David W. Lawrence" Any contribution, no matter how small is huge to the Lawrence family.

Your post from facebook says a whole lot in just a few words. I wonder if this Mohebullah is in any way connected to Karzai's corrupt payola money trail. I know that's a silly question, of course he was.

The judge running this hearing only had to delay it two weeks, I'm going to join bhf in screaming.

30
posted on 12/02/2010 1:46:30 PM PST
by jazusamo
(His [Obama's] political base---the young, the left and the thoughtless: Thomas Sowell)

It’s the same chickensh** game where the US Government thinks they are the sole possessor of the right to deem what is an act of war. And what is murder. And there is no guideline to follow. Just the whim of the day.

I think he was kidding, although I’m not sure. In any case, he has a lawyer, and it’s the lawyer who decides what to plead.

I think I might go crazy too, if I was stuck in Afghanistan and my superiors ordered me to keep the chamber empty in my weapon and never to shoot back at someone just because they happened to be shooting at me.

I wonder if this Mohebullah is in any way connected to Karzai's corrupt payola money trail. I know that's a silly question, of course he was. The judge running this hearing only had to delay it two weeks, I'm going to join bhf in screaming.

I'm with you. What is it about this particular muzzie mullah that got Karzai's bloomers all twisted?

...........................................

Press ReleaseOctober 19, 2010

President Karzai Orders Probe into Killing of Afghan Detainee in Kandahar

President Hamid Karzai has ordered security agencies to investigate the killing of an Afghan detainee who was allegedly shot dead by Coalition forces in Arghandab prison in Kandahar.

Reports from Arghandab indicate that coalition forces entered a prison around 9:30 pm on Sunday evening and shot dead a detainee named Mullah Mohibullah.

President Karzai has instructed all security agencies and the local officials in Kandahar to investigate the incident and its circumstances and report on its findings to the President’s Office.

Other Afghans who were there said they were not sure if the detainee was trying to escape at the time that he was killed. Local elders said the detainee was a local Taliban commander named Hajji Mohammed who had given a different name, Mullah Muhibullah, to the Americans.

They had this guy in 2007. Somehow they failed to recognize the threat he posed, even though it appears he was a top aide to Omar or, some deal was made with Karzai. There is an opium connection. There is the Pakistan connection.

My guess is, they let this guy go, he is responsible for more deaths of our troops, captured once again and our boys called BS probably figuring he would be released AGAIN and organized a hit.

39
posted on 12/02/2010 5:37:03 PM PST
by bigheadfred
(STAND IN THE CORNER AND SCREAM WITH ME...)

I havn't read about 10 people, but have seen references to "coalition forces" and "soldiers".

Here's another twist...

........................................

On Monday, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization released a statement saying a detainee was found dead in his holding cell on Sunday, after being arrested during an operation on Saturday night.

"The detainee was shot after four or five other detainees were taken out of the holding cell," said an Afghan official familiar with the investigation. "After the shot was heard, the soldiers went to the cell and found the dead body."

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